Far

Today's readings seem rather far apart.

In the first reading (Isaiah 2:1-5) we have the great hymn of messianic peace:

They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
One nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again.

And in this time of peace and light, Jerusalem is the center of wisdom and knowledge for foreign nations.

For from Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations,
and impose terms on many peoples.

Yet in today's Gospel (Matthew 8:5-11), the Messiah himself extols a warrior from a foreign land as having greater faith than anyone in Israel.

In truth, the readings are less far apart than they may appear, for it is the foreign warrior who has come the furthest to walk in the light of the Lord and thus gives the greatest example of the power of the gift of faith.

As we begin this journey of Advent, we should begin mindful of how far we are from the perfection to which Christ calls us, and thus with the Centurion to say "Lord, I am not worthy..." and yet like the Centurion we should trust in the power of the Lord to do his wonders in our lives, even when we are far away, so that we may be drawn ever closer to him and come to rest at the banquet of the Kingdom of Heaven.